Google & NASA will install D-Wave’s 2,000-Qubit Quantum Computer

Earlier this week D-Wave System announced that the Google, NASA and Universal Space Research Association (USRA) decided to upgrade the current Quantum Annealer Computing System installed in NASA’s Ames Research Center. They decided to upgrade it with the D-Wave 2000Q platform.

Currently the Ames relied on the D-Wave 2X system which was made available in August 2015. But the new 2000Q model hit the quantum computing scene in January 2017. The 2000Q model packs with the 2,000 qubits, and have the doubling number of qubits provided in the previous 2X-branded generation.

In case if you don’t know; a Qubit is the short form the Quantum Bit. Qubit is different than a normal binary. A qubit can be zero, one or a superposition at the same time whereas a normal bit can only be zero or one.

Like we all know that the Quantum Computing is next evolution in the Computing on a whole. It’s based on the use of quantum particles that can exist in multiple states at the same time. This increases the overall computation power along with their ability to become entangled with each other, providing parallel processing that can cut down on the overall computing time.

Image Source: dwavesys.com

“The new system will be the third generation of D-Wave technology installed at Ames,” D-Wave CEO Vern Brownell said. “We are pleased that Google, NASA, and USRA value the increased performance embodied in our latest generation of technology, the D-Wave 2000Q system, for their critical applications.”

You might wondering that what it matters? Then here’s your answer:

Google and NASA installing the latest quantum computer in the Ames facility means complex problems can be resolved quickly, advancing space exploration and other fields at a faster rate.

Well of course the maintenance of the Quantum Computer is too high. The processor resides in a high vacuum, and a pressure of 10 billion times lower than Earth atmosphere. But the more complicated thing that needs to manage is that Qubits must be chilled close to absolute zero “to harness quantum effects.” That means the environment inside the 2000Q enclosure is 180 times colder than interstellar space(0.015 degrees above absolute zero).

D-Wave said that NASA is installing the 2000Q quantum computer at its Ames Research Center later in 2017. Used by the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL). It will be accessed to address the challenges NASA faces by utilizing quantum computing approaches and creating quantum artificial intelligent algorithms.